Jan 6-13, 2016
The Hibernation Guide: What To Do When the Weather Gets Cold Good books, food delivery, binge-worthy TV, local sweatpants and hot cocktails
Norm of the North
Norm (voiced by Rob Schneider) is a polar bear from the Arctic who, along with a trio of lemming buddies, finds himself in New York City, struggling to survive until he becomes a corporate mascot. Later, Norm discovers that his corporate sponsors are responsible for a crisis in his Arctic homeland and must figure out…
Ride Along 2
Watching the trailers for Tim Story’s Ride Along 2 makes me wonder if there’s a pairing option out there in which a Kevin Hart combo wouldn’t end up being a mismatched buddy picture. In this latest “crazy” installment, Ben (Hart) has graduated from security guard to actual Atlanta P.D. officer, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law James…
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Taking a break from the exaggerated violence of The Transformers franchise, Michael Bay sets his sights on the real-life drama and intensely perilous action of the assault on the U.S. embassy in Libya, which resulted in the death of the American ambassador. Based on the book by Mitchell Zuckoff, 13 Hours focuses on the efforts…
Dance: Double|Sided
Cincinnati’s resident modern dance company MamLuft&Co. Dance, now in its ninth season, opens 2016 with Double|Sided, an eye-opening world premiere. It’s been co-choreographed for the company, known for conceptual nuance and athleticism, by company members Elena Rodriguez and Steven P. Evans, who also dance in the piece. The full-length work is performed in an intimate…
Onstage: Kinky Boots
Encountering a show title that uses the word “kinky,” you might think that the so-named play could push the boundaries of taste. That’s certainly not the case with Kinky Boots, despite the images the title suggests. In fact, the touring production of this Broadway hit (winner of several Tony Awards), at the Aronoff for a…
Music: Best New Bands Showcase
The 7 p.m. show features New Artist of the Year nominees Go Go Buffalo, Dawg Yawp, Coconut Milk, JSPH and The Skulx, and also special guests Daniel Van Vechten and Dead Man String Band. Speaking of special, the night will close with a performance by rockers Honeyspiders, who won the CEA for New Artist of…
Music: Saintseneca
W hen Noble County, Ohio native Zac Little was in high school, he heard Led Zeppelin make its musical point with a mandolin, and that led him to the conclusion that if banging on four instruments was interesting, three times that many would be exponentially incredible. When Little entered Ohio State, he began collecting the…
Slice of Cincinnati: Sabbath Records
Guitarist Coleman Williams can barely see through his overgrown hair as he leans over a 12-string guitar while he strums out “You Knew This Was Coming” for local electronic act Dark Colour’s upcoming Animal EP. The song is the last to be complete after two days of recording in Over-the-Rhine’s Sabbath Recording. Williams lays down…
Morning News and Stuff
Hey hey all. Here’s what’s happening in Cincinnati and elsewhere today. It’ll be a busy couple days at City Hall. Cincinnati City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee has a special meeting scheduled at noon to discuss the city’s tax budget, which has been a point of contention between some members of Council and Mayor John…
Music: Dan Bern
You might think, if you’re unfamiliar with Dan Bern and hearing the song “Merle, Hank & Johnny” on his new album Hoody, that he’s just another Americana nostalgist singing about Country icons who used to get played on the radio before the dreaded brats with hats took over Modern Country. That would be wrong. Bern,…
Music: Wildhoney
Apparently, this is the age of musicians using the word ‘honey’ in their band name. There is Oh Honey from Brooklyn, N.Y., Moon Honey from Baton Rouge, La., HoneyHoney from Los Angeles, The Locust Honey String Band from Nashville, Tenn., The Honey Chasers from Johnson City, Tenn., The Honeycutters from Asheville, N.C. and many more.…
Music: Gill Landry
As an erstwhile member of Old Crow Medicine Show, Gill Landry has been a vital component of one of the most expansively creative American Bluegrass outfits of the past two decades. As a solo artist, Landry has applied a modern veneer to traditional Country and Folk, crafting songs that combine the melancholy perspective of a…
Music: Anna Nalick
In 2005, Anna Nalick was poised to take her rightful place within the rich tradition of emotion-laden X-chromosome Pop Rock balladeers, including forebears like Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos and contemporaries like Sara Bareilles and Colbie Caillat. Just two years before, Nalick had put her college career on hold to explore her childhood dream of…
Raising the Bars: Girls’ Night
Pull on your high-heeled boots, grab some of your best friends and head out on the town for your best-ever girls' night! These bars have everything from spacious dance floors to crazy cocktails that’ll definitely spice up your weekend plans. Bar Louie – Newport “Open early, closes late” is the credo of this café/lounge based…
Attraction: Hatching Spring Blooms at Krohn Conservatory
We might have just gotten our first snows of the season, but Krohn Conservatory is launching headlong into spring with its new floral show, Hatching Spring Blooms. Spring is in the air with fragrant daffodils, hyacinths, hydrangeas and bright green grass laid out in geometric patterns. Overhead, painted pastel branches hang above a canopy of…
Music: The Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular
Slip on your best pair of blue suede shoes and head to the Taft for an era-by-era tribute to one of music’s greatest entertainers. The theater’s annual Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular returns Saturday with the world’s best Elvis entertainers/impersonators Shawn Klush, Cody Ray Slaughter and Ryan Pelton, who will each perform a unique, hip-thrusting take…
Event: Lebanon Antique Show and Sale
For 68 years, the Warren County Historical Society has put on a spectacular display of folk art, American and Continental furnishings, decorative arts, textiles, primitives and fine art from as early as the 18th century. The Lebanon Antique Show’s wide array of unique pieces and spread of food are sure to keep everyone happy, even…
Event: Art on Vine
Support local artists at Art on Vine, a monthly boutique art fair. Back indoors for its third year at Rhinegeist Brewery, the fair showcases fine art, handmade goods and photography from more than 60 local artists. Skyline Chili, Holtman’s Donuts and Rhinegeist will be available for purchase while you shop. 1-7 p.m. Saturday. Free admission.…
Event: Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show
The 59th-annual Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show continues the tradition of celebrating outdoorsman hobbies with more than 400 displays of boats, RVs, hunting and fishing gear and the latest in camping technology and adventure sports. Attendees can even test out some kayaks and paddleboats in a 17,000-gallon demo pool. Admission to the Cincinnati Golf…
Event: Barrel Aged Beer Bash
Jungle Jim's celebrates barrel-aged beer with this annual bash. Attendees can move between booths, sampling more than 80 different types of rare beers aged in barrels ranging from wine to whiskey from a variety of brewers. Many beers aren’t available outside of their respective brewery’s walls, and many won’t be bottled either. This festival-style tasting…
Art: Fiber? at C-LINK Gallery
Here’s a creative way to add more fiber to your diet: Brazee Street Studios’ C-LINK Gallery presents Fiber?, an exhibit combining traditional quilting, felting and weaving techniques with unconventional materials. Opening night features a performance by colorful installation artist and fashion designer Lindsey Whittle, who likes to connect with audiences via Velcro. (You might want…
Music: Joshua Powell & The Great Train Robbery
In October of last year, Indianapolis’ Joshua Powell & the Great Train Robbery released their stunning new album, Alyosha, a captivating Indie Folk release full of trippy atmospherics and fantastic songwriting. Powell’s songs are proudly psychedelic and experimental, floating on an ambient wave of gauzy, mesmerizing sounds, but, at the core, the songs of Alyosha…
Sports: Cincinnati Cyclones Dollar Beer Night
Dolla beers, y’all! What’s better than watching the Cincinnati Cyclones take on the Fort Wayne Komets? Doing it with several dollar beers! That means for like $25 you can get into the game, drink a handful of beers and eat multiple hot dogs. The first 1,500 fans in the door also get a Cyclones T-shirt.…
Onstage: Southern Gothic: A Ghost Story
The past is haunting her: A young woman’s family is cursed, and when her sister disappears, she is forced to return to her childhood home in an attempt to find her. Unfolding in 1904 New Orleans, Southern Gothic follows its primary character as she navigates her way through the town in a quest for answers…
Comedy: Dean Edwards
“Years ago, I worked at Kmart before the powerhouse and juggernaut that is Walmart came and knocked everyone out of the box,” says comedian, actor and former Saturday Night Live cast member Dean Edwards. Working at the “blue light” retailer did give him some practical experience for his future career as a stand-up comic, though.…
Film: Hidden Colors 3 Screening and Potluck
During a time when issues of race and social justice are at the forefront of our lives, yet many feel at a loss for viable public spaces to conduct any real discourse, Chase Public has been programming inclusive events to foster these important conversations. Thursday evening, local spoken word and Hip Hop artist Lyrical Insurrection…
Onstage: Brahms + Schumann: Songs for Clara
The latest installation in Louis Langrée's and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s two-year Brahms Fest, Songs for Clara, features compositions of warmth and romance from both Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms for Clara, Schumann’s wife (possibly at one time Brahms’ mistress) and a distinguished pianist in her own right. Special guest pianist Kirill Gerstein will perform…
Event: Local Local Local 7
It’s the seventh installment of one of Arnold’s most popular nights of the year: Local Local Local 7, celebrating local beer, local art and local music. The bar will feature $3.50 pints of craft beer from more than 20 different area breweries, meaning Arnold’s sets a new record for the most local breweries tapped at…
Morning News and Stuff
Good morning all. Here’s what’s going on in the news today. Cincinnati Public Schools will open a new school for talented and gifted students on the city’s West Side, officials have announced. The Cincinnati Gifted Academy, CPS’ other talented and gifted school, has been incredibly popular, generating waiting lists for students hoping to attend its…
Morning News and Stuff
Good morning Cincinnati! Here are your morning headlines to get your minds off the Bengals for a few minutes. What does development have in store for Cincinnati this year? The Enquirer has listed 10 of the bigger projects that could kick off in 2016. Some of the projects including the expansion of the Findlay Market…
Media Complicity in Anti-Arab Anger and Fear
Let me get personal for a moment. I’m sickened by mainstream news and opinion media complicity in our anti-Muslim, anti-Arab anger and fear. Anti-Arab, anti-Muslim fervor frightens me. Anxiety is bred in my bones as the grandson of immigrants, husband of a first-generation American and heir to our people’s history. On whom will Americans turn next? …
Remember This Artist’s Name: Ato Ribeiro
One of the most remarkable artworks I saw in Cincinnati in 2015 — in terms of its beauty and the painstaking effort that went into its creation — will soon leave town. It was in a rear area of the Brick 939 pop-up market in Walnut Hills. It’s already no longer on view and just…
Raising the Bars: Game Day
No matter which game you’re watching or which colors you don (better be orange and black), the Cincinnati bar scene has a little something for every kind of fan. From packed sports bars to quiet neighborhood grills, there’s always a place to enjoy a couple of the things the Queen City is known for —…
Stage Door
If you turn up at the Aronoff Center for the touring production of Kinky Boots (it’s onstage through Jan. 17), you might think you’ve landed in Over-the-Rhine. That’s how much the show’s opening vista of a factory in Northampton, England, resembles our own historic neighborhood. It’s the Victorian brick façade of a shoe factory that’s…
Morning News and Stuff
Good morning all. Here’s your news for this morning. First, let's go to something we’ve been talking about here at CityBeat HQ for a little bit now: Who might oppose Mayor John Cranley in 2017? One of the top names on a lot of people's lips (and someone we’ve speculated might launch a campaign) over…
Morning News and Stuff
Good morning all. Here’s a very brief rundown of some big stories in the news today. As we told you about yesterday, a law enforcement roundtable convened by Mayor John Cranley met in Bond Hill to discuss ways to reduce violence, especially gun violence, in Cincinnati neighborhoods. There were a few key takeaways from community…
The Rise of Anthologies
The anthology series format — in which a show presents a different story and characters in each season (or even episode) — is all the rage on TV right now, as seen in American Horror Story, Black Mirror, Fargo, True Detective and now, American Crime (Season Premiere, 10 p.m. Wednesday, ABC).And it makes sense.Shows that…
Looking Forward to New Characters in 2016
Will 2016, with its over-abundance of sequels on the horizon (Ride Along 2, Kung Fu Panda 3, Alice Through the Looking Glass and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — to name just a few), be in a position to introduce audiences to new characters that might one day join the ongoing pantheon of franchise…
The Hairdresser of Harare
This curious novel tells the story of a hairdresser in modern Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, written by a podiatrist who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. The podiatrist is in fact from Zimbabwe and writes stories as well as takes care of feet. This, his first novel, is a look at the society of his home…
Missing Millie Benson
While listed by its publisher as a biography for young readers, some of us who are not so young may want to share this new book as well. Millie Benson wrote 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew mystery novels under the name Carolyn Keene. Owned by the publisher, it was the pseudonym of all…
Phyllis Weston Mastered the Art of Friendship
Phyllis Weston relished bringing together art and people from all backgrounds. A classic lady and a modern woman, the gallerist and arts advocate died Dec. 6 at age 94.Weston founded Closson’s downtown gallery in 1964. In 40 years as director, she gave many prominent artists their starts. Weston also helped found what’s now Enjoy the…
Writing About Theater
Last month I had an opportunity to attend an evening get-together with a group of volunteers with the League of Cincinnati Theatres who are writing regularly about local productions, providing previews of shows as well as critiques — all of which can be found at LCT’s website, leagueofcincytheatres.info, under the header “2016 Stage Insight Reviews.”…
Living Up to Expectations
A show called Kinky Boots might seem an unlikely source for life advice, but the 2013 Tony Award winner about a beleaguered shoe factory that retools and changes lives in the process has proven to be just that. The Broadway hit — with music by Pop star Cyndi Lauper and veteran writer and actor Harvey…
Food News You Can Use
With a New Year comes new news about restaurant openings, closings and partnerships, plus information about where you can expect to be eating in the future — aka 2016. Molly Meets Melt Local celebrity mixologist, businesswoman and author Molly Wellmann’s Wellmann’s Brands — owners and operators of bars Neons Unplugged, Myrtle’s Punch House, Japp’s Since…
Truckin’ Along
If you’ve been to Findlay Market in the past year, you’ve probably noticed a strange-looking blue cart situated next to Blue Oven Bakery’s stall. Daniel Noguera purchased a couple of Italian Apes — three-wheeled vintage utility vehicles created by the guy who invented the Vespa — and tricked them out into coffee carts. He affixed…
Netflix and Chill Your Way through Winter
Revered film stars and directors are testing the boundaries of the small screen. TV series are getting more creative with storytelling, like with the anthology format, and more platforms and channels are offering quality, original content. It’s a great time for television, and winter is the perfect time to catch up on anything you’ve missed.…
Warming Winter Cocktails
It’s that time of year when the chill keeps you huddled inside your warm abode, a time when shut-in tendencies become de rigueur. So far, this winter has been rather mild, which means El Niño will probably gobsmack us throughout January and February. Instead of leaving your toasty home, stay in and drink. Here are…
Dining by Delivery
N ot leaving bed is a pretty satisfying response to surviving a Cincinnati winter, but, like anything else, hibernating is even better when food is involved. Not all of us have someone kind enough to bring us breakfast (or dinner) in bed, but fortunately most of us have something called the Internet. Hop online and…
Hibernation Guide: What to Do When the Weather Gets Cold
Winter. Generally cold. Possibly snowy. Gets dark at like 4 p.m. Unfortunately, unlike bears — who can hibernate up to seven months without eating, drinking or peeing — humans have to stay awake in January and February. We have no adaptation to recycle our urine back into our bodies, plus eating and drinking is fun.…
… and Justice for All?
During the long winter’s nap of the University of Cincinnati’s winter break wherein “Netflix and chill” ruled the day, in my bloodlust for true crime murder mysteries I came across Making a Murderer. The 10-part documentary is about Steven Avery, a questionably educated Wisconsin man and his clannish, self-segregated family that owns and operates a…
Worst Week Ever! Dec. 30-Jan. 05
GM Sees Potential in Drunk People with Smartphones, Invests Half a Billion in Lyft For many years, people without cars have been viewed as losers by those who have them. One day soon that might change, with the rising popularity of ride-sharing apps like Lyft and Uber, plus Google constantly yammering about having some sort…
Council Poised to Set Streetcar Hours
Cincinnati City Council’s Major Transportation and Regional Cooperation Committee during a Jan. 5 meeting approved streetcar operating hours presented by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. Council is likely to give final approval to the schedule as soon as Jan. 6. If approved, the streetcar will run Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m.-midnight and from…
Torching Progress
F or only the second time in 40 years, Kentucky has a Republican governor — and his election might signal a sea change in the Bluegrass State, which has traditionally favored Democrats in statewide offices and the state legislature. Tea party favorite Republican Gov. Matt Bevin swept into office by grabbing a convincing 53 percent…
Morning News and Stuff
Good morning y’all. There are tons of things going on in the news today, so let’s get right to it. Mayor John Cranley is convening a community policing roundtable this morning in Bond Hill that will feature Cincinnati Police Department Chief Eliot Isaac, City Manager Harry Black and more than 20 community leaders. The effort…
Music: Crucible
Once upon a time, like a few weeks ago, the members of three popular and crazy-loud Detroit bands — we’re talking volume that could alter the path of low-orbit satellites — concluded that their main gigs were not affording them the opportunity to play with an acceptable degree of heaviness. Imagine a world where We…
Sound Advice: Crucible with Toothgrinder, Ghost Key, 7 Years Dead, Homebound and Motions of Sin
Once upon a time, like a few weeks ago, the members of three popular and crazy-loud Detroit bands — we’re talking volume that could alter the path of low-orbit satellites — concluded that their main gigs were not affording them the opportunity to play with an acceptable degree of heaviness. Imagine a world where We…
Music: Mild High Club
Mild High Club is the project of musician Alexander Brettin, a Midwestern-bred, L.A.-based Renaissance man who has recorded with the likes of Ariel Pink and Mac DeMarco. Brettin’s debut Mild High Club album, Timeline, was released in the fall of 2015 through Stones Throw Records, a legendary label known primarily for putting out some of…
Sound Advice: Mild High Club with Andy Gabbard
Mild High Club is the project of musician Alexander Brettin, a Midwestern-bred, L.A.-based Renaissance man who has recorded with the likes of Ariel Pink and Mac DeMarco. Brettin’s debut Mild High Club album, Timeline, was released in the fall of 2015 through Stones Throw Records, a legendary label known primarily for putting out some of…
Music: Marcus Alan Ward
It’s appropriate that Marcus Alan Ward hails from Cleveland, considering the comparisons the vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist receives to any number of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (and HOF-worthy) artists. References to Prince, Jimi Hendrix, N.E.R.D., D’Angelo and Timbaland are strewn throughout Ward’s press kit like raw diamonds crowding a jeweler’s worktable, and every…
Sound Advice: Marcus Alan Ward with Culture Queer
It’s appropriate that Marcus Alan Ward hails from Cleveland, considering the comparisons the vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist receives to any number of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (and HOF-worthy) artists. References to Prince, Jimi Hendrix, N.E.R.D., D’Angelo and Timbaland are strewn throughout Ward’s press kit like raw diamonds crowding a jeweler’s worktable, and every…
Music: The Westies
Atmospheric and rootsy, the music of The Westies serves the songs, most of which are written by Michael McDermott. The group’s debut album, West Side Stories, came out about a year ago and is filled with cuts that are self-described as being about “love, betrayal, murder, hope and redemption.” The genre “Americana” is too often…
Sound Advice: The Westies
Atmospheric and rootsy, the music of The Westies serves the songs, most of which are written by Michael McDermott. The group’s debut album, West Side Stories, came out about a year ago and is filled with cuts that are self-described as being about “love, betrayal, murder, hope and redemption.” The genre “Americana” is too often…
He Will Rise Again …
HOT: He Will Rise Again … Despite the disingenuous declarations that it was “shocking,” Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister’s death on Dec. 28 was definitely sad for Rock & Roll. But with one of his final interviews (with a German TV station), the 70-year-old left the world with a jab at ’80s New Wave and proof…
Happy Blues Year: Cincy Blues in 2016
The Cincy Blues Society has another big year in front of them in 2016. The organization has already made lineup announcements for its two big festivals, and recently put out a call for artists to participate in its annual Blues Challenge event. • The Blues Society’s Winter Blues Fest kicks off in less than a…
Common Law
Over the past five years, through several iterations, Common Center has plied its Psych/Groove/Prog wares around Greater Cincinnati, amassing a loyal fan base while tweaking its Indie Jam sound. Until late last year, Common Center’s development had been undocumented in the studio; that changed just before Thanksgiving when the Northern Kentucky septet released its excellent…
Slow Fashion; Cozy Clothes
The 1980s were, on the whole, a bad decade for fashion. Madonna’s cone bra aside, legwarmers and shoulder pads weren’t good looks for anybody, and let’s not even get into the permed hair and blue eye shadow. But there was one element that decade’s fashion had over today’s styles: 80 percent of it was made…
Required Winter Reading
If you’re a bookworm (or you’ve just watched everything on Netflix) and want to spend some quality time catching up on the missing gaps in your reading list, here are a few books that will make you sound smarter at the next party you attend.City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg – This tome was…
